Building on Success

ICS Skills have successfully been granted an extension to their highly successful Get Ireland Online programme which has been running since last year. The programme provides internet training to an additional 3,000 people around the country in order to tackle the large number of the population who are 'digitally excluded'.

Get Ireland Online is continuing as part of the BenefIT 4 scheme which has awarded 1.4m for 17 training projects run by community and voluntary groups and not-for-profit organisations across Ireland, and aims to improve on the 37,000 people who were trained as part of the BenefIT 3 scheme. As part of this scheme, ICS Skills will ensure that 3,000 people in at least 50 locations around the country will receive basic internet skills to prevent them from missing out on opportunities that most people now take for granted.

Participants will be taught how to make use of the web, send email, use internet telephone services like Skype and do shopping and banking online during four 2-hour classes. Everybody will benefit from this training, but it is especially suitable for unemployed people, disadvantaged groups and anyone lacking in basic ICT skills. The Get Ireland Online programme aims to ensure that no one is left behind as the country gets increasingly digitally savvy.

"Firstly and most importantly this initiative is about people – not leaving them behind – giving them the opportunity to engage. This concerns everyone; it's not just about the 1 in 5 yet to embrace the internet – it is also about those who have the skills and what they can do. We should all ask ourselves how the internet could be helpful to someone we know and how we might be able to encourage or help them to get online. For those who need help – or who want to progress further – there will now be tens of thousands of training opportunities nationwide under BenefIT 4."

Said Jim Friars, CEO of the Irish Computer Society.

"As more businesses move their services online, serious challenges exist to those who are unable to do the necessary day to day activities such as banking online and paying bills. ICS Skills is committed to promoting digital literacy in Ireland and we are delighted to be able to undertake another project that can enhance the day-to-day lives of those who feel they are being left behind when it comes to the internet."

About Get Ireland Online

Operated by ICS Skills, the Get Ireland Online campaign is intended to help everyone share in the benefits of online technology. In particular:

To inspire more people to engage with Information Technology

To encourage people to go online and reward them for doing so

To support those who need a helping hand

Courses are running in locations nationwide and new locations are always welcome. If your community is interested in offering this funded training please contact us at: